Posted on July 01 2021
The art of Ritual Bathing
The Ritual Bath is an ancient and very sacred rite, performed by those who seek to infuse their energy with the power and presence of water. We have been dipping our weary bones into the healing wells of water since the beginning of life itself. The depths this element has to offer are endless. As humans, we are made up of what most say to be 70% water, I believe this to be so much more. Water is indeed life and without it, we cease to exist. Ritual bathing is a way for a practitioner to prepare both physically and spiritually to cleanse and protect themselves before engaging with the realm of Spirit.
Immersion in sacred waters before ritual is no new practice to human kind, it blesses, restores and relaxes your spirit, it reconnects you to the healing powers and free flowing nature of water. It surrounds you, comforts you, and for a time, seems to lighten the weight of the world upon your body and spirit. As you allow the water to surround you entirely, head and all, it offers solace in the silence by providing what seems to be a suspension of time with the beat of your heart as a guide. The botanically infused waters clear your mind so that you may focus on the specific intent for your Ritual with a newly refreshed and cleansed ritual tool, your body, your temple.
There are many ways to prepare for a ritual, and ritual bathing is my favorite. The Ritual begins with preparing botanical infusions, essential oil blends, or just a simple water blessings to ready the mind, body and spirit before entering an altered state that reaches into the realm of other worlds.
Here are just a few examples of simple herbs to acquire for specific intent for your Ritual Bath.
•For Purification and Healing•
You can gather Rosemary, Mugwort, Thyme, Lavender, Bay Leaves, and Eucalyptus.
For Love, Self-Love, and Matters of the Heart•
You can gather or acquire fresh or dried Roses, Yarrow, Honeysuckle, Jasmine and orange peels.
•For Protection•
You can gather or acquire fresh or dried Rosemary, Mugwort, Hawthorn, Rose, Basil, Clove and Bay Leaf.
These are just a few simple examples that can be modified, or made to be more intense through your own research for your ritual. For the sake of space I have only listed a few simple, yet powerful herbs for you to work with.
As you begin your ritual and start to disrobe, bare and unhindered by the weight of anything other than your own skin, your body begins to tingle in response and recognition of this sacred act. As you set the tone for your ritual bath experience, turn on relaxing music, light beautiful candles and allow yourself the proper time to really soak up the energy of the botanicals and the water. 20 minutes minimum is recommended. For best results, air dry when you get out of the bath.
Before you enter the tub, state your intention verbally and take a moment to say a blessing over the water as you sprinkle your chosen oils or herbs in. This can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish. As you immerse yourself in these sacred botanically blessed waters, imagine them weaving their way into the essence of your being, shrouding you, protecting you, and guiding you, as plants often do. I love to sing a chant, or hum a tune while in the water, I feel this heightens the energy and enhances the power of the Ritual Bath. I also work with this opportunity to do water divination, allowing visions to come as they will. Often reading into the floating botanicals that swirl around my body. When your body is in a relaxed state and influenced by the herbs chosen, many things can be revealed and seen, if you take the time to decipher them. It’s important to just go with the flow of your intuition during your ritual bath, allowing your mind, body, and spirit the freedom to draw power how it intuitively chooses to.
I also love putting crystals in my bath that match the intent of my ritual. For example, Rose Quartz for love, Clear Quartz for cleansing and Onyx or hagstone for Protection and so on. Adding some kind of Epsom Salt, Himalayan Salt or Dead Sea Salt is also recommended to aid in the process of pulling out negativity, as well as physical toxins. As you relax, imagine yourself releasing any unwanted energy that you no longer wish to carry on your body and within your Spirit. As you watch the herbs float around you, allow your mind to enter a trace like state while paying attention to the thoughts and visions that come to mind.
As you draw near the end of your bath and rise out of the waters that have just purified and empowered you, you will notice that your energy will be renewed and infused with the power of the botanicals employed for your Ritual intent. You are now ready to petition the realm of Spirit.
Also for those that do not have a bath tub, this can be done in a large basin or is a large bowl, you can soak a washcloth with your herbal infused waters and wash with that, or anoint your head with the ritual waters. Another option for those that are out in nature for their rituals is to go to a lake, or river and immerse yourself for a moment, connecting straight from the source. I adore this practice and do it often. An important note if you chose to work with water in nature and away from your home space. Nature has a delicate balance to maintain, and we as stewards to the continual well being of our Mother Earth have a responsibility to keep Nature Healthy. Please do not place botanicals and oils in the waters of the wild. This is damaging on the ecosystem that surrounds bodies of water, and for the bodies of water themselves.
I currently have several Ritual Bath Offerings available at www.MoonGoddessMagickApothecary.com and will be offering Ritual Bath Herbal Blends over the next few months. Stay tuned and stay Blessed
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